Lifeline after a disaster

AS THE flood waters that deluged Carlisle start to recede, thousands of residents will be turning to their insurers to help them repair the damage wreaked by torrential rain and high winds.

Across the country, some 150,000 homes have been affected by the weekend's storms and, with an estimated 5m people in 2m homes across England and Wales reckoned by the Environment Agency to be in areas at high risk of flooding, they certainly won't be the last.

Homeowners should have buildings insurance policies to claim on for damage to the fabric of their properties, and contents insurance for their furniture, fixtures, fittings and other possessions. Those renting will have only their contents policies.

Insurance company representatives have already started arriving in the worst affected areas of the north-west. But until the flood water has drained away, there is little they can do in practice for the homes and possessions.

Get in touch with your insurer anyway because you need to register your claim. If you have had to move into temporary accommodation that has not been organised by your insurer, keep any receipts so you can claim your money back later.

Most buildings insurance policies pay 10% to 20% of the total amount your home and possessions are insured for towards accommodation costs.

Norwich Union's standard policy gives 10%, so someone with £150,000-worth of cover will have accommodation costs of up to £15,000 met. Contents insurance often doesn't cover this unless specifically added.

If repairs take so long that the money runs out, you may have to foot some of your hotel bill yourself. This may be the case if you are insured for only a small amount and your home has been so badly damaged it takes months to repair.

Nothing major can be done until insurance company representatives have visited your home to assess the damage themselves. Do not throw away any carpets, furniture or fixtures and fittings - the insurer will want to see these to find out what needs replacing.

Your insurer will decide how much work needs done to your home and will arrange for it to be carried out. If you want to use a particular builder, agree it with your insurer in advance. You may need to make your home secure while it is unoccupied. Keep the receipts for any bills you run up doing this.

It may take some months before your home is habitable again as floors may have to be taken up, plaster chipped away and the fabric of the building dried out.

The cost of sorting it out can easily hit £20,000, says Legal & General. You will probably have a policy excess, which typically means you pay the first £50 or £100 of any costs. But it could rise to as much as £1,000 for homes in high-risk areas, says Norwich Union.

If your car has been damaged or it has floated away then a comprehensive motor insurance policy will pay for repairs or replacement. A third party, fire and theft policy won't, so you will have to foot the bill yourself.

• Find out if your home is in danger of another washout, contact the Environment Agency floodline on 0845 988 1188 or visit www. environment-agency.gov.uk